ANZ Championship Netball Round 14 Wrap

The composition of the finals has been determined with the Melbourne Vixens claiming the minor premiership and being rewarded with the home court advantage for the second semi-final.

They will take on the Northern Mystics at the Rod Laver Arena on Sunday with the winner hosting the premiership decider.

It was tight-rope walking stuff for the Mystics, however, when they faced the NSW Swifts in Auckland on Sunday.

Needing the win to secure the double chance, they overcome the Swifts by just one goal.

With the Adelaide Thunderbirds beating the Canterbury tactix by 21 goals in Adelaide on Sunday, the Mystics win meant the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic were in the finals.

But whether the Magic travelled to Adelaide to face the Thunderbirds in the first semi-final or earned the home court advantage was not determined until the final minor round encounter.

The Magic got the job done against last year's champions, the Queensland Firebirds, and they will go into the finals on the back of nine consecutive wins.

Vixens not foxing

To beat the Steel by 18 goals in Invercargill a team must be doing plenty right and feeling pretty good about itself. Especially when the side comes from Australia.

That is impressive form to be taking into the finals although the Mystics will be a different proposition. The Steel were awful and the Vixens confronted very little opposition.

While the Melbourne side deserves credit for the manner of its victory, it must be noted how disappointing the Steel were and they fed the Vixens with a flood of turnover ball.

It has already been a big season for the Vixens and Netball Victoria.

The Vixens have had six home games with 35,240 fans watching the action. That is an increase of 9467 on last year when they had seven matches. membership is up from 1832 last year to 2282 and merchandise sales have increased by 200 per cent.

Steel's struggles

It has been a long season for the Kiwi outfit with injury woes and limited experience.

Their form against the Vixens was that of a side low on confidence and that showed with the swag of simple mistakes.

Players battled just to pass and catch at times.

The match was the finale for veteran defender Sheryl Scanlan, who announced her retirement and is moving to Brisbane.

Scanlan made 61 test appearances and was a member of the Silver Ferns side which claimed the 2003 world championship. Her time in the national team ended after the 2007 world championships in Auckland.

Tactix loses experience

The Tactix have lost two of its senior personnel with Maree Bowden and Anna Galvan pulling the pin on their careers after the 21-goal loss to the Thunderbirds in Adelaide on Sunday.

Tactix coach Leigh Gibbs said: "Both players have been fantastic. Maree was with the team in the old national league, she has been there from day one with the franchise."

Midcourter Bowden made 15 appearances for the Silver Ferns while Galvan played 14 games for the national team.

Thunderbirds kids

With the Thunderbirds in total command with seven minutes remaining against the Tactix, coach Jane Woodlands-Thompson took the opportunity to throw her youngsters into the fray.

Cody Lange and Mel Rowland replaced the gun goal circle pairing of Carla Borrego and Erin Bell and Leigh Waddington was given her first run in the ANZ Championship when she took Emily Beaton's spot at wing attack.

Young defender Kate Shimmin was introduced into the game in the third quarter and Maddy Proud played the final quarter at centre to enable Nat von Bertouch to have a rest on the bench.

Von Bertouch was moved to wing defence for the third quarter, swapping positions with Renae Hallinan.

The switch seemed to halt the Thunderbirds' momentum although Woodlands-Thompson said the players had had very little practise in those roles.

Swift exit

Oh so close for the Swifts but not close enough.

The Swifts had the Mystics at their mercy when they led by five goals early in the final quarter.

Goaler Susan Pratley was on target, defenders Sonia Mkoloma and Mo'onia Gerrard were tireless in their efforts and Kim Green and Vanessa Ware were busy in the midcourt.

Wing defence Jo Sutton, playing her final game before retiring, was replaced by Samantha May in the final quarter.

The one-goal loss ended any hope of the Swifts qualifying for the finals.

Mystics just

If the Mystics dropped the game against the Swifts there was a risk they would drop to fourth on the ladder.

They needed the win to get into the second semi-final and have the crucial double chance. Trailing by five goals early in the final quarter, the home side was under the pump.

But some brave moves by coach Debbie Fuller proved decisive.

Temepara George was switched from wing attack to centre, Jade Clarke from centre to wing defence, Rachel Rasmussen from goal keeper to goal defence and Grace Rusmussen was introduced at wing attack and Jessica Moulds at goal keeper.

Rachel Rasmussen and Moulds grabbed some intercepts and provided rebound ball to ignite the Mystics.

Anna Harrison, troubled by a calf issue, did not get on court. The Mystics will need her in the game if they are to claim this year's title.

Tall timber

So did the tall goal circle combination of Caitlin Bassett and Cath Cox work at the Fever?

There is plenty of evidence to say it has not been a success.

Cox has spent plenty of time on the bench as she struggled with her numbers on the scoreboard.

On Sunday, it was Caitlin Bassett turn on the bench when the competition's leading goalscorer going into the final round was replaced at three-quarter time after bagging just 15 goals from 23 attempts.

Pulse defender Katrina Grant was relentless in her defensive work on Bassett.

Magic tricks

There is no hotter team in the league than the Magic and they will go into the finals super confident after claiming nine successive wins.

After dropping their first four games, their record of being the only team to have contested each finals series was seriously under threat.

One more loss and they would have been out the back door.

But they have responded as the good team they are.

The Firebirds took the fight to the Magic for the first three quarters before the home side blew the game apart.

Keep in mind though, the Magic have not had to travel outside Australia since round four.

They lost in Sydney in round three and in Melbourne in round four. The ride has been quite comfortable for the Hamilton outfit.

Champions curse

So the curse has struck the Firebirds this time.

The first three champions, the Swifts, Vixens and Thunderbirds, all failed to qualify for the finals the year after tasting grand final glory.

Now the Firebirds have joined that group with the loss to the Magic putting them in sixth spot on the ladder.

Those early losses came back to haunt the Firebirds along with some injuries to key personnel.

1: Magic (1 last week): Had to withstand plenty of pressure from the Firebirds to record their ninth successive win.2: Vixens (2): Needing to beat the Steel in Invercargill to retain top spot on the ladder, the Vixens were in complete control and claimed a comfortable 18-goal victory.3: Mystics (3): Were in danger of conceding the double chance when five goals down early in the final quarter before rallying to grab a one-goal win against the Swifts.4: Thunderbirds (6): They needed to respond to the loss to Magic and they had the game against the Tactix in control at quarter-time when they led by 10 goals.5: Swifts (5): The Sydney team has a good record against the Mystics and they stood up to the home side to get within a goal.6: Firebirds (4): Were well in the contest against the Magic until three-quarter time. They tested the Magic.7: Fever (10): Went into the season with high hopes and secured just the three wins, the latest when they came from behind to overcome the Pulse in Perth.8: Pulse (7): It was never going to be an easy trip to Perth and the Pulse dominated for much of the contest. The performance is further evidence of the fight in the Wellington team.9: Tactix (9): Facing a Thunderbirds team needing the win to cement a finals berth in Adelaide was always going to be tough. They trailed by 18 goals at half-time but took it to the home side in the second half.10: Steel (8): Ended a disappointing season with an 18-goal loss to the Vixens at home. Made far too many mistakes to challenge the top ranked side.